Anniversary couple’s decades of kindness

Pictured are leukaemia fundraisers Ron and Kaylet Smedley, of Chesterfield, who have celebrated their 60th diamond wedding anniversary.

A LOVING couple who have dedicated their lives to fundraising for the Leukaemia Research Fund is celebrating 60 years of marriage.

Ron and Kaylet Smedley, of Hollingwood, Sheffield, first met in 1950 when they both worked in the general offices of Staveley Iron and Chemical Company.

They were married on December 13, 1952, and went on to have a son Andrew who died after suffering with leukaemia 47 years ago and helped found the area’s Leukaemia Research Fund in his honour.

Brave Ron and Kaylet turned the tragic loss of their son into a lifetime of fundraising to help ensure as many as possible would not suffer the same fate.

The couple who founded the Chesterfield branch of the Leukaemia Research Fund in 1965 after their eight-year-old son Andrew lost his life following his diagnosis with leukaemia.

The charity has since encouraged people to raise and donate over £1m towards leukaemia treatment and research into a cure for the condition. Kaylet’s endeavours were recognised with a British Empire Medal for services to leukaemia research.

Chief executive Kathy Gilman, of the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research charity, said Kaylet has instilled a wonderful sense of togetherness among supporters of the charity’s Chesterfield and Derbyshire branch.

Derbyshire Times editor James Mitchinson said: “Kaylet and Ron’s story and their many years of support for such a worthy cause have always struck a chord with our staff and readers and on behalf of everyone linked to our newspaper we wish them a very special 60th wedding anniversary.”

Ron and Kaylet have had a fantastic time recently after celebrating 45 years of their local charity’s branch in 2010 along with Kaylet receiving a BME in this year’s Queen’s birthday honours list.

Kaylet was also nominated as an Olympic 2012 torchbearer which she proudly carried through Bolsover. She said: “When our son Andrew died there was no or very little hope but now many can be cured which is wonderful.”